RE: Stooling

Marilyn, I have a newish plant (from a gallon pot, one year old) of cornus
_____ 'Hedgerow Gold.'  I only have maybe 3-4 stems, 2 about 3' and 2 about
1'.  Should I let the plant become more established and well-branched before
practicing stooling on it?  It is such a prized plant, I have hesitated to
be brual, like I am with the buddleas or even cotinus!  I realize I won't
get the winter stem color this year, but I also don't want to traumatize the
plant.  For this particular plant, would I stool it in early spring?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Marilyn Dube [m*@easystreet.com]
> Sent: Friday, August 03, 2001 10:20 AM
> To: perennials@mallorn.com
> Subject: RE: Stooling > > > Gerry,
>  Stooling is also done on shrubs that have really great young > wood color
> like Cornus stolonifera 'Midwinter Fire', redtwig dogwood, & > yellowtwig
> dogwood.  Old wood on these shrubs tends to turn a dull, > uninteresting color
> while the new wood is brilliant.
> Marilyn Dube'
> Natural Designs Nursery
> Portland, Oregon
> > > -----Original Message-----
> From:	owner-perennials@mallorn.com > [owner-perennials@mallorn.com] On
> Behalf Of ECPep@aol.com
> Sent:	Thursday, August 02, 2001 9:07 PM
> To:	perennials@mallorn.com
> Subject:	Stooling
> > In a message dated 8/2/01 8:29:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> eoneill@attglobal.net writes:
> > << What do you and Marilyn mean by "stooling?" Does it work > on all types of
>  hydrangea, i.e., those that bloom on either old or new growth?
> >  Gerry >>
> > Stooling is a pruning technique used for various purposes.  > You raise a
> shrub
> to a  reasonably healthy state and while still young you cut > off the entire
> shrub to just above the ground. Spring is the time here as we > never know
> what
> is alive until we see a few swelling buds.  If you can do it > in the fall in
> warmer places someone else will have to contribute that information.
> > The shrub will send up young fairly straight shoots and since > it is starting
> all over it will remain low.  The Hydrangea paniculata cv's > all bloom late
> in
> the summer on new wood so stooling is ideal for this shrub if a late
> blooming
> plant is wanted in a perennial garden.  You can thin the buds > to get some
> large blossoms or leave them as is and get a bunch of smaller > blossoms.
> You
> can also clip the shrub to any size wanted in the garden.  > The stooling
> techinique should not be used on plants that bloom on old > wood unless it is
> foliage you are after.  Hydrangea arborescens (Annabelle) > does not work well
> with technique as it is a summer and often and early sumer bloomer.
> > This is a technique used years back ( read Gertrude Jekyll ) > with various
> hardwoods to produce tall straight poles for the gardens.  > Basket weavers
> also maintain stooled plants to constantly have a supply of > young pliable
> and
> very straight material.
> > If you have done this to a hydrangea for a number of years, > ten or so, you
> might want to start over with a new plant.  That is easy as > hydrangea is
> rooted very easily on half hard wood in a shady area or a > cold frame in
> midsummer.  Such a plant needs to be fertilized as it is > asked to do a lot
> more work than one that is left alone to grow naturally.  I > have not used
> any
> new plants, I just keep whacking off the older ones and it > keeps them under
> three feet and all bloom.
> > I know cotinus works well providing in a sunny perennial > garden,  a great
> mass of purple foliage each year for very little trouble.   > Cotinus can also
> be rooted by the home gardener.  Purple leaved cotinus will > occasionally
> freeze to death here so I have to buy a new one now and then.
> > I have not tried with any others. Maybe you could use spring or summer
> bloomers but if flowers are wanted they would have to bloom > on new wood.
> Doesn't hurt to try new things.
> > I grew the fantail willow for years and did not know that > this plant would
> not produce the shaped and contorted wood wanted unless also > whacked off to
> the ground each year.  Now that I know this, I have lots of > plant supports
> of
> all sorts, curved and rounded shapes.  This plant has it's > own individual
> virus and without the stooling or near stooling the virus > does not produce
> curled and rounded branches.  Finally someone told me the > secret and I now
> grow it successfully.
> > Claire Peplowski
> NYS z4
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